BPCL issues tender to buy crude for July-Sep loading

TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) - State-run refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) has issued a monthly tender to buy crude for July to September loading, traders said on Tuesday.

BPCL is seeking Middle East sour crude such as Dubai, Oman and Abu Dhabi's Murban, together with sweet Asia Pacific and West African grades for July or August loading.

The refiner is seeking Azerbaijan's Azeri Light and Russian Urals for July or August loading, among other grades.

It is also looking for offers of Yamani Masila crude for July or August loading as well as for the July-September term, traders said.

Grade offers are due on Wednesday and price offers on Thursday.

Offers should remain valid until Friday, traders said.

In the previous monthly tender, BPCL bought 2.2 million barrels of crude for June and July loading.

BPCL bought 600,000 barrels of Yemeni Marib Light and 500,000 barrels of Malaysian Miri crude for June loading, 500,000 barrels of Dubai for July loading, 600,000 barrels of Qatar's al Shaheen crude for July loading.

BPCL, India's fourth-largest refiner, is ramping up capacity this year with the Mumbai plant expected to run at its expanded capacity of 240,000 barrels-per-day.

The refiner, which also imports crude oil for its subsidiary Kochi Refinery , tenders every month to buy sweet and/or sour crude.

REUTERS CS SSC1222